Exercise device having a power rewind

ABSTRACT

An exercise system includes a resistance unit for the performance of a wide variety of exercises including those previously performed using free weights, exercise machines, rowing machines, and/or ski machines. The resistance unit is configured with power rewind such that the resistance for both pull-out and rewind is determined by the resistance developed by a clutch assembly having clutch-plates slipping against friction pads in the clutch-assembly, resulting in the resistance for pulling out and rewinding being virtually the same.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of co-pending, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/089,842, filed Oct. 9, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an exercise device configured as a removable resistance unit, and in particular to an exercise device having a power rewind.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditional physical fitness exercise devices are well known in the art, including individual free weights and exercise machines, which incorporate weights, resistance units or mechanical resistance to facilitate strength and endurance training. For example, an exercise machine may include movable weights to generate resistance or may incorporate other resistance units such as elastic bands for exercising targeted muscle groups.

Many of these exercise machines are not particularly portable since they may be relatively large, bulky and/or heavy and typically are not moved except for short movements to reposition a machine within a training area. Many exercise machines are dedicated to one particular exercise, such as a treadmill for running and walking, a rowing machine, an exercise bike, or a ski machine. For free weights, the individual weights themselves are heavy and require a relatively large collection of different size weights in a gym area, which again limits portability or suitability for use in other areas outside of the training area. Further, many manufacturers in the fitness industry would not make all of the disparate equipment and machines used in a gym such that a training area is often outfitted with disparate equipment and accessories that require significant floor space and investment.

To address these shortcomings, the applicant for the present invention has developed a compact high resistance fitness device for improved exercising or individual rehabilitation. The resistance unit is configured with at least one resistance module and may be used by itself for a range of exercises, or provided in combination with separate conventional accessories such as a simple bench or even a wall-mount to perform other exercises. One example of such a resistance unit is disclosed in PCT Application Publication No. WO 2020/014667 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The known resistance module includes a pull cord, and a coil storage spool configured to wrap and unwrap the pull cord from the resistance module. The high strength pull cord terminates at its outer end with a handle, such as a hand/foot receptacle. The pull cord has a length sufficient to allow pull strokes of up to fifty feet or more, and the resistance module generates variable weight resistance in a compact and portable resistance unit.

It is an object of the invention to develop an improved exercise system which incorporates a resistance unit of this type in combination with an inventive bench system configured for use in performing a wide variety of exercise types.

More particularly, the invention relates to a compact high resistance fitness device for superior independent exercising or individual rehabilitation, where at least one resistance unit is provided. The resistance unit includes at least one and preferable two resistance modules that each include a coil storage spool configured to wrap and unwrap a pull cord emanating from the resistance module. The high strength pull cord terminates at its outer end with a connector that may connect to a handle, such as a hand/foot receptacle, or other exercise implements, wherein the pull cord has a length sufficient to allow pull strokes with a length suitable for use with the inventive exercise system. Further, the resistance module generates as much weight resistance as a user could want in a compact and portable unit, and the resistance unit can be used separate from the bench system that it is capable of being taken anywhere for use. Of special interest is that the fitness device may include sensors and other means for collecting data and relaying that data to a smartphone, a computer, the cloud or any other device for display and processing.

In a preferred configuration, the resistance unit comprises an elongated platform or base plate having a pair of concentrically acting, independent resistance modules at opposite ends of the platform. These resistance modules are capable of providing a wide range of resistance, from low to very high. Often free weights are provided as plates or dumbbells in the range of about 1-2 pounds to more than 100 pounds, and when multiple free weights are combined, an athlete might perform exercises with total weights exceeding several hundred pounds. Each resistance module generates variable resistance that can reproduce resistance that spans this range of weights. Each of the resistance modules have a respective cable that may be extended and retracted by a respective body part, such as the left and right arms or legs of a user. While the two resistance modules are actuated independently and separately by the individual body parts being exercised, the pull cords could be interconnected and be moved by a single body part driving both pull cords simultaneously.

The inventive exercise device is particularly suitable for a wide variety of such exercises while relying upon a single resistance unit using one or two resistance modules. While only one resistance unit having two resistance modules is preferably provided for cost efficiency, it will be understood that multiple resistance units might be provided, or the resistance units might have only one resistance module rather than two or more.

Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise system according to the present invention comprising a bench unit and a representative resistance unit.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3-7 are perspective views of the inventive resistance unit from various angles.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrates the resistance unit with an outer housing being partially see-through.

FIGS. 11-12 are cross-sectional views of the resistance unit.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective view of a rotating cover governing the cord angle during exercise.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the arrangement and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an exercise device 10 of the present invention may be used by itself or combined with other fitness accessories such as a bench unit 12 having a seat 14 and seatback 15. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the exercise device 10 may be configured as a resistance module 21 for the performance of a wide variety of exercises that typically would be performed using multiple exercise devices. As one example, the resistance unit 21 may be of the type disclosed in PCT Application Publication No. WO 2020/014667 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In a resistance unit 21 as disclosed herein, the resistance unit 21 comprises one or more resistance modules 22 supported on an elongated platform or base plate 23, which may be foldable or may have a fixed length. The base plate 23 preferably has a pair of concentrically acting, independent resistance modules 22 at opposite ends of the platform 23. These resistance modules 22 are capable of providing a wide range of resistance, from low to very high and each have a respective cable 24 that may be extended and retracted by a respective body part, such as the left and right arms or legs of a user. The two resistance modules 22 operate independently and separately by the individual body parts, or pulled together simultaneously.

For an understanding of the present invention, each of the resistance modules 22 includes a coil storage spool configured to wrap and unwrap the pull cord 24 emanating from the resistance module 22. The high strength pull cord 24 terminates at its outer end with a connector 25 that may connect to a handle, such as a hand/foot receptacle, or other exercise implements, wherein the pull cord 24 has a length sufficient to allow pull strokes with a length suitable for use with any of the exercises that may be performed using the inventive exercise system 10. Further, the resistance module 24 generates a variable amount of weight resistance so that the single resistance module 24 can provide as little or as much weight-like resistance as a user could want in a compact and portable unit. As generally seen in FIG. 2, the resistance unit 21 may be anchored under one of the front or rear bench legs 27/28 or may be used separate therefrom.

The following description relates to a further resistance unit 30, which incorporates additional functionality in comparison to the resistance unit disclosed in the '667 application referenced above, which are both developed by the assignee of these applications MAXPRO Fitness, LLC. The current product configuration for the resistance unit is has performed well but the pull-out length of the cord is limited by the length of a rewind spring and the resistance unit does not offer significant return (rewinding) resistance, a feature that is often desired by advanced athletes. Also the single cord unit can be used individually or in pairs.

Therefore, the resistance unit 30 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3-9 and is improved so as to incorporate a power rewind configuration. The disclosure of the '667 application provides additional discussion of the operation of the resistance unit of this general type, and a detailed discussion of common features and functionality is not required for an understanding of the present invention.

The improved resistance unit 30 generally includes an outer housing 32 comprised of housing sections 33 and 34 and an intermediate cable guide section 35. The cable guide section 35 has an exit port 36 through which the pull cord 37 (FIG. 9) passes, so that the pull cord 37 can extend and retract during exercise. The cable guide section 35 has limited rotatability relative to the housing sections 33 and 34 so that the position of the exit port 36 can move circumferentially and adjust during different exercises as seen in the various figures.

The outer housing 32 further comprises an end cap 38, end block 39, and base 40, which interconnect together. An adjustment knob 42 is also provided to adjust resistance generated by the resistance unit 30. The resistance unit 30 also includes a spool 43 on which the pull cord 37 can be wound and unwound during exercise.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, one of the most important and novel features of this design of the resistance unit 30 is that the resistance for both pull-out and rewind is determined by the resistance developed by a clutch assembly 45 having clutch-plates 46 slipping against friction pads 47 in the clutch-assembly 45, resulting in the resistance for pulling out and rewinding being virtually the same.

The resistance unit 30 includes a stepping motor (NEMA23) 49 with a 10:1 Planetary gear reducer 50 attached that provides a 14 mm diameter output shaft 51 that is hardened and smooth (no keyway). The motor 49 is only used to provide power for rewinding the cord 37 and is idle (not powered) during cord pull-out or unwinding.

In the clutch assembly 45 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, there are two types of steel clutch plates 46, one type 46A with teeth on the inside diameter and the other type 46B having teeth or tabs on the outside diameter engaged with a flange 43A on the spool 43. Between these plates 46A and 46B is a friction pad 47 floating with its location only controlled by its inside diameter loosely engaged with the outside of a rotatable Arbor sleeve 53. The steel clutch plates 46A and 46B alternate in series, separated by the floating friction pad 47 therebetween. The clutch plate series 46A/46B/47 are mounted on the rotatable Arbor sleeve 53, which has outer teeth that engage the clutch plates 46AA having inner teeth. When the Arbor sleeve 53 rotates, the mating plates 46A also rotate (against the resistance of the mating friction pads 47).

In more detail as to FIG. 12, this resistance between clutch plates 46A/46B and friction pads 47 is determined by operator selected spring pressure against the stack of clutch plates 46A/46B as set by the knob 42. The operator turns the knob 42 that drives a threaded pressure-nut-pulley 54 that forces against a first non-rotating plate 55 that compresses a set of springs 56 that are sandwiched between this first plate 55 and a non-rotating second plate 57. A thrust bearing 60 is required to transfer this force between the second non-rotating plate 57 and the stack of clutch plates 46 and friction pads 47 because all clutch plates 46 and the Arbor sleeve 53 can be rotated. Also, since the arbor sleeve 53 carries the axil force on the clutch plates 46, another set of thrust bearings 61 are required at the motor end of the arbor sleeve 53 to counter this force.

Within the arbor sleeve 53 are mounted (end to end) two equally sized one-way clutch bearings 63 and 64 that meet approximately in the middle of the sleeve 53. Into one of these one-way clutch bearings 63 is the gearmotor output shaft 51 (FIG. 11) and in the other one-way clutch bearing 64 is a stationary shaft 65 equaling the size of the gearmotor shaft 51. The two one-way bearings 63/64 are arranged oppositely so that the arbor sleeve 53 cannot rotate in the direction of the spool 43 for cord-pullout (caused by the one one-way clutch 64 gripping the stationary shaft 65). In this situation, the motor shaft 51 is free to rotate in this (pull-out) direction but the motor 49 is not energized to do so.

The other one-way clutch bearing 63 grips the gearmotor shaft 51 (when it turns in the rewind direction to provide rewind power) which turns the arbor sleeve 53 and its mating clutch plates 46A. By resistance between the clutch plates 46A/46B and friction pads 47, the clutch plates 46B with outer tabs engaged with the spool 43, which causes the spool 43 to turn and rewind the cord 37.

When the cord 37 is pulled out, the rotatable sleeve 53 and mating clutch plates 46A/46B cannot turn (they are locked by the one-way clutch 64 to the stationary shaft 65, for rotation in the pull-out direction) but the spool 43 and its mating clutch plates 46B can turn. The operator selects resistance with the nob 42 and the operator selected resistance from the clutch plate engagement with the friction pads 47 provides the desired resistance to cord pull-out.

If the user-operator wants only pull-out resistance and relaxes the cord 37 at some point the cord spool 43 will stop turning, signaling the motor 49 to rewind the cord 37 at a predetermined rewind speed. If the user holds back the cord return, resisting the spool rewind rotation (caused by the clutch resistance against the spool engaged clutch plates 46B), the motor controller logic will provide increased (rewind) power to the motor 49 until some spool rewind motion is detected. The logic will track the speed of the spool 43 and power the motor speed to exceed the spool speed by a small amount (keeping the clutch plates 46A/46B slipping). The result is that the user can experience return resistance nearly equal to the resistance felt when pulling the cord 37 out.

The spool 43 is mounted on needle bearings 68 that rides on the arbor sleeve 53 in the portion over the gearmotor shaft 51. This spool bearing 68 could allow the spool to turn freely in either direction if the outer tabs of the clutch plates 46B were not engaged with the spool 43. Therefore, the spool rotation is always restrained from rotating in either direction by the friction resistance applied to the mating clutch plates 46A/46B.

The pressure-nut-pulley 54 can optionally be rotated by a small gearmotor 70 such as seen in FIGS. 8 and 10 using a belt-drive connection 71. The control logic will operate the small and large gearmotors 70 and 51. A set of required large motor power values required to slightly overcome selected rewind resistances can be learned and programmed into logic. An operator control feature can be provided to allow selection of a desired rewind resistance (which should also nearly match the pull-out resistance). The logic system would provide power required to achieve that rewind resistance based programmed set values.

However, as the cord 37 rewinds, added cord staking-layers wound on the spool 43 will result in an increase in the moment arm resisting the user's cord pull-back resistance, which will make it easier for the user to slow or stop the rewind. The result would be that the user would begin the rewind resistance at a higher force and could feel the reduction in resistance as the cord spool winding on spool 43 increases in diameter. Providing more power to the motor 49 will not do much to correct this since the clutch assembly 45 is already slipping.

To correct or reduce this affect, the logic can be programmed to power the small motor 70 to turn the pressure nut 54 to increase the spring pressure. The amount of increase can be preprogrammed based on the revolutions counted as the cord 37 was pulled out. The required increase in pressure can be determined and the operation of the small motor 70 can be programmed to increase pressure on the clutch plates 46 based on the expected size of the spool wrap along the way back to the spool 43.

Referring to FIGS. 11, 13 and 14, the cord 37 exits and enters the exerciser 30 through an elongated orifice or grommet 36A forming the exit port 36 in the rotating cover 35. The elongation of the orifice 36A being aligned with the axis of the rotating cover 35. The rotating cover 35 can be rotated about 165 degrees in this disclosed version. This allows the cord 37 to exit radially throughout this range. Moving the cord direction of pull radially causes the rotating cover 35 to follow with very little cover rotation resistance, which results in minimal contact pressure on the cord 37 as it passes through the central narrow width grommet 36A.

However, the user will often lean the cord pull trajectory in an axil direction from any radial location of the cover 35. This action could place sideward forces on the rotating cover grommet 36A and could cause increased wear on the cord 37.

This exerciser design incorporates a pair of small, grooved rollers 73 near and under the grommet orifice 36A. The rollers 73 are assembled to a needle bearing at each end with the rotational axis being perpendicular to the axis of the rotating cover 35. The cord 37 passes through an opening created by the grooves 74 in adjacent rollers 36. Sideward leaning of the cord trajectory will cause the rollers 73 to turn when contacted by the cord 37 and thereby supporting the cord's sideward pressure and resulting in reduced wear on the cord 37. Outward forces on the rollers 36 are supported by needle bearing sockets in the cover 35 and the needle bearings and rollers 36 are held in the sockets inside the rotating cover by a retaining clip 75.

Power to operate the controls and motors 49 and 70 in this exerciser is provided from a battery removably mounted on the unit 30.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention. 

We claim:
 1. A resistance device for an exercise system comprising: a spool with a cord that may be wound and unwound by an operator during exercise; a motor selectively engagable with said spool during rewind to generate a force on the pull cord that is resisted by an operator during exercise; and a clutch assembly selectively engagable with the spool during unwinding of said cord to define a resistance to unwinding of said cord that is felt by the operator during exercise, said clutch assembly having clutch-plates slipping against friction pads in the clutch-assembly during unwind and rewind resulting in the resistance for unwinding and rewinding being closely proximate to each other. 